Lou Donaldson (November 1, 1926) is a jazz alto saxophonist, born in Badin,… Read Full Bio ↴Lou Donaldson (November 1, 1926) is a jazz alto saxophonist, born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.

Donaldson attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro in the early 1940s. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was trained at the Great Lakes bases in Chicago, where he was introduced to bop music in the lively club scene there. At the war's conclusion, he returned to Greensboro, where he worked club dates with the Rhythm Vets, a combo composed of A and T students who had served in the U.S. Navy. The band recorded the soundtrack to a musical comedy featurette, "Pitch a Boogie Woogie," in Greenville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1947. The movie had a limited run at black audience theatres in 1948 but its production company, Lord-Warner Pictures, folded and never made another film. "Pitch a Boogie Woogie" was subsequently restored by the American Film Institute in 1985 and re-premiered on the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville the following year. Donaldson and the surviving members of the Vets performed a reunion concert after the film's showing. In the documentary made on "Pitch" by UNC-TV, "Boogie in Black and White", Donaldson and his musical cohorts recall the film's making—he originally believed that he had played clarinet on the soundtrack. A short piece of concert footage from a gig in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is included in the documentary.

Donaldson's first jazz recordings were with the Charlie Singleton Orchestra in 1950 and then with bop emissaries Milt Jackson and Thelonious Monk in 1952, and he participated in several small groups with other jazz luminaries such as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey.

In 1953, he also recorded sessions with the trumpet virtuoso Clifford Brown, and Philly Joe Jones.
He was a member of Art Blakey's Quintet and appeared on some of their best regarded albums, including the two albums recorded at Birdland in February 1954 Night at Birdland.
Donaldson has recorded in the bop, hard bop, and soul jazz genres. For many years his pianist was Herman Foster.
He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on October 11, 2012.

Don't Worry 'bout Me
Lou Donaldson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't worry 'bout me
I'll get along
Forget about me
Just be happy my love

Let's say that our little show is over
And so the story ends
Why not call it a day the sensible way

And still be friends

Look out for yourself
That should be the rule
Give your heart and your love
To whomever you love
Darlin' don't be a fool

Why do we cling to this old faded thing
That used to be
So if you can forget
Then don't worry 'bout me

Why should we cling to some old faded thing
That used to be

So if you can forget
Then you don't worry 'bout me

Overall Meaning

Lou Donaldson's "Don't Worry 'bout Me" is a soulful song about the inevitability of separation and the importance of moving on. The singer sends a message to their former lover, urging them to forget about them and be happy. The lyrics suggest that it's time to end the relationship sensibly and still remain friends. The singer assures their ex-partner that they will be fine without them and that they should focus on their own happiness. The chorus plays on the idea of letting go of the past, and urges the listener to move on.

The second verse is a warning to the ex-lover not to be foolish and to put themselves first. The singer advises that they should only give their heart and love to those who reciprocate, and not hold on to something that has lost its spark. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the importance of letting go and moving on.

In this song, Lou Donaldson's lyrics are insightful and speak authentically to the human experience of heartbreak and moving on. It can be applied to any situation where someone has ended a relationship and needs to remind themselves to let go of the past.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't worry 'bout me
Please don't be concerned about me

I'll get along
I will be alright without you

Forget about me
Please do not think about me anymore

Just be happy my love
I want you to be happy despite our separation

Let's say that our little show is over
Our relationship can be likened to a show that has ended

And so the story ends
This marks the conclusion of our love story

Why not call it a day the sensible way
We should end things logically and not make things complicated

And still be friends
We can remain friends and not have hard feelings

Look out for yourself
Take care of your own well-being

That should be the rule
It is a good principle to follow

Give your heart and your love
Share your affection and love